Facebook COO Sandberg Pens New Book Foreword

Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is quietly promoting her new Foreword to an already popular book, Getting to 50/50: How Working Parents Can Have It All, which will be released in a new edition this month. Sandberg, 44, says that the 50/50 goal is not about being fair but rather about what’s best for the family.

“We are rarely at 50/50 at any given moment—perfect equality is hard to define, or sustain—but that remains the goal as the pendulum swings between us.”

Sandberg asserts that in household chores, if men take on more of the load they and the children get back a, “bonus,” when that results in more choices for women. Though Sandberg’s family is admittedly not always in, “perfect equality,” and, “can afford exceptional childcare.” Sandberg and husband David Goldberg have two children and they, “aim for a 50/50 split in childcare and household duties.” Even given the couple’s fortune, Sandberg refers to difficult decisions forced by long hours at work and significant travel.

The book which was originally published in 2009, though much of this week’s press labels it new, is already embraced by many American working families. Its premise is mirrored by Sandberg’s contribution, promoting an equal split in the chores so a family can find optimal success. The book’s authors are Sharon Meers, a former executive at Goldman Sachs, and Joanna Strober, a private equity professional. Both women are married and have five children between them.

Sandberg is enjoying best-selling ratings on her own book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, which profiles women’s struggles in male-dominated businesses. Sandberg calls for women to, “lean in,” to reach their true career potential instead of holding themselves back.

The associated Lean In.org, a nonprofit started by Sandberg to promote career empowerment for women, however did experience some unwanted attention in mid-August when the group’s editor, Jessica Bennet, advertised for a part-time, unpaid editorial intern. Opening unpaid intern positions, in an organization that encourages women to strive for salaries that match their worth, by a major industry COO whose net worth is reported to exceed $1 billion, set off a social media viral-storm. Lean In.org’s president, Rachel Thomas, has issued an apology and said that future internships will be paid. The nonprofit is supported by profits from Sandberg’s book as well as donations she provides.